Race Day + 1:
Sore and stiff in quads. Calves and hamstrings OK. Lungs experiencing that cool sensation of over-exertion and having been stressed for a long time. Legs very tight and hard to stretch out.
Race Day + 2:
A bit more sore and stiff in the quads. Usually I am less sore on the second day but seems like Ironman exertion has created more soreness instead.
Race Day + 3:
Quad sore/stiffness starts to fade. Unadvertised hike at end of caving experience of 2.5 km back to our van doesn’t help…! Hike was over hilly terrain tramping through sheep droppings. Definitely not recovered as body struggled to keep up and breath was very heavy and feeling it in lungs.
Race Day + 4:
Quad soreness almost gone.
Race Day + 5:
Quad soreness very slight. Flexibility is gaining.
Race Day + 6:
First day without over-exertion coolness sensation in lungs.
Coach says Ironman recovery could take as long as 4 weeks. Will start to build activity starting next week with swimming, and then biking. Running is last.
Definitely longer recovery time than for NYC Marathon. My soreness the next day was worst with knee aches, and then on 2nd day the soreness was gone. After marathon recovery took about 3 weeks with ramp up to Ironman NZ training late last November.
Next stop: 16 weeks to Vineman Half Ironman end of July.